Publisher Norberto Santana Jr. writes that Orange County supervisors should reimburse local taxpayers for the more than $120,000 in legal fees they just had to pay Voice of OC after losing a public records lawsuit. It likely won’t be the last time the courts are needed to pry public records loose and Santana says Voice of OC will stay on the case.

BySpencer Custodio |August 10, 2017

The Irvine City Council, citing fears that pending state legislation could cost it money, rejected its staff’s top ranked firms and instead awarded one of the lowest-rated companies a contract to help upgrade wireless communications inside the Great Park.

County Supervisors Tuesday unanimously voted to pay Voice of OC $121,396 in legal fees after losing a Superior Court case for refusing to release public records about Supervisor Todd Spitzer’s handcuffing a preacher at a Wahoo’s restaurant.

ByNick Gerda and Jose Ochoa |August 9, 2017

Fire Authority officials say they’ve been performing air rescues for over 20 years and are well-equipped for the job, but that in recent years sheriff’s helicopter crews have been racing to the scene and taking control.

Deputy District Attorney Karen Schatzle, who ran against incumbent Judge Scott Steiner in 2016, has filed an internal claim against the county of Orange alleging District Attorney Tony Rackauckas retaliated against her after she announced her intention to run for office.

A contract dispute between Magellan Healthcare and CalOptima, the county’s health plan for low-income and elderly residents, may have left some of CalOptima’s 710,000 patients without mental health care when, for nine days in July, Magellan refused to process Medi-Cal payment claims.

BySpencer Custodio |August 7, 2017

The Laguna Niguel City Council will decide next week whether to remove Councilman Jerry Slusiewicz’ largely ceremonial title of Mayor, following a list of complaints filed with the city about Slusiewicz’ alleged bullying.

Chapman University Law Professor and former Orange County supervisor chief of staff Mario Mainero discusses the controversies enveloping the county District Attorney's office. The discord has fueled an election challenge to incumbent Tony Rackauckas from Supervisor Todd Spitzer. But many observers are pushing for an “outsider” to enter the race. Is Mainero the answer? He discusses the state of justice in OC and whether he'll run for DA.

Rigo Rodríguez, who is a Governing Board Member for the Santa Ana Unified School District, questions implementation of a district plan to shift 25 of 38 District Security Officers (DSOs) from their middle schools and high schools to other sites, urging cooperation, just as labor leaders meet today with school district officials on the shift.